Dr. Alice Hunter

Dr. Alice Hunter, of Stockton, California, died peacefully on March 19 at the age of 89. Born Alice

Scwharze in New York, New York, on September 11, 1923, Alice was a loving matriarch, dear friend,

devoted professor, tireless

community volunteer, and

generous philanthropist.

Alice graduated from Queens

College and later earned her Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1954, at a time when it was very rare for a woman to attend graduate school or study biology. Following graduate school, she went to

Florida State University as a lab technician, where met Fran Hunter. After a passionate romance, the two were soon married.

In 1957 Alice and Fran adventured to Bogotá, Colombia, with an invitation from the Rockefeller Foundation to initiate pre-med science courses. They formed a program at the Universidad de los Andes enabling students to be accepted into U.S. medical schools. While in Bogotá, they had two daughters, Debora and Linda. From 1966 to 1970, they lived in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, where they taught

biology at the Universidad Regional Centro-Occidental. The family returned to the States in 1970 and Alice joined the faculty at UOP, where she taught courses in

Developmental Biology and

Histology and introduced a course in Entomology.

Alice received numerous awards during her tenure with the biology faculty. She was the third recipient of the Faye and Alex Spanos Teaching Award, and her nomination served as a model for later awards. She also received the

Order of the Pacific and was a

recipient of the Eberhardt Teacher/Scholar Award. After 25 years of dedication to UOP, Alice retired from the faculty and

received the title of Professor Emeritus, although she continued to teach courses and advise

students in research. Upon her

retirement, one professor was quoted as saying, "we will never replace the spirit that she has brought to the institution."

Alice was an exemplary teacher, receiving high praises from her students. "Dr. Hunter not only makes you learn, but she also makes you think." "She is inspirational to students and always

proceeds about her business in an energetic whirl." "Not only is one challenged, one's brain cell is

filled to capacity and stretched

further than one can imagine!"

Throughout the community, Alice was an active volunteer dedicating herself to science education with tremendous zeal, helping children overcome their fear of insects and reptiles. She was a Micke Grove Zoo docent for 20 years and was active on the zoo board starting in 1980. In 2003, the new education building at the zoo was named in her honor. Alice was also a docent at Oak Grove Regional Park, was a volunteer for Teaching

Opportunities for Partners in

Science, and helped organize many Science Olympiads for the local high schools. Her devotion to the community was recognized when she received the Susan B. Anthony Award honoring San

Joaquin County Women of Achievement in 2004.

Alice is preceded in death by her husband, Fran, and is survived by her daughters, Debbie Hunter

and Linda Cormier (Art), grand-daughters Rachel Flanigan

(Patrick) and Frannie Cormier,

and great-granddaughter Serai Flanigan.

A memorial service will be held in her honor at Morris Chapel on April 20th at 3 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alice S. Hunter Graduate Student Summer Research Award or the F.R. Hunter Endowed Memorial Fund at UOP, Micke Grove Zoo, or Oak Grove Regional Park.